Meaning
A craftsman who converted raw animal hides into leather by the process of tanning.
Description
Tanners soaked animal hides in large pits filled with solutions of tannin derived from oak bark to convert them into durable leather. The process took many months and the tannery was one of the smelliest of all industrial premises. Tanning was regulated in many towns because of the nuisance caused by the smell and the pollution of watercourses. The finished leather was sold to cordwainers, saddlers, glovers and other leather workers. Tanneries required a good water supply and access to oak bark and were found in many rural as well as urban areas.
Also Known As
Leather Dresser, Currier
Commonly Found In
- Census Returns
- Trade Directories
- Parish Registers
- Apprenticeship Records
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